The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-07-23


What was the sue OF the ..;irrisous'' asked
There were less than forty five fighting men
IN the garrison: some OF these were old men
and others were mere bows, but all OF them
were good ninrksmcn, and part OF them were
cypcrt Indian fighters. There was "a good sup.
ply of firearms ut hund but very little powder
and lead
AT daylight on the a,lh the commaudaut
wishing to send messages TO the other settle
ments told a soldier and a negro to bring in
some horses thar had been turned out to craze
the night before
While these men were passing through a
corn-licld south OF the fort they met six Iu-
dams one OF whom shot the white man. The
negro ran back to the fort and gave the alarm
The commandaut at once sent CAPTAIN Mason
with fourteen or fifteen men to attack the In
dams. and when they reached the bunk OF the
creek they were suddenly attacked on all sides
by Grty's whole force of Indians. Mason and
his men cut a passage through the columns OF
Indians that surrounded them, and started to
retreat to the fort In the first encounter,
while they were clearing the lines of their saw
are foes half of Mason's little band was sluin
AS the survivors fled toward the fort they were
hotly pursued by the Indians, An Indian who
was TRYING to capture Mason overlook him. and
to make sure of killing him fired ut him when
the muZzle of his gun was within u few feet of
the victims body. The shot hit Mason but did
not disable him. He turned Quickly and dealt
the Indian a blow on the head with the stool, of
his rife that fclled him. The effect of this act
was to alarm the Indians near ut hand, and Ma
son only failed to reach the fort because he was
too much exhausted to walk SO fur. He man.
aned 10 hide himself however in some brush
where he remained till the end OF the siege.
Only two of his men escaped with their
lives
When it became known at the fort that Ma.
sons party was being attacked by o superior
fo.ce Captain Ogle, with q dozen volunteers,
pressed eagerly forward, fell into an ambuscade,
and two thirds of them were slain on the spot,
The Indians then advanced upon the fort in two
long loose ranks, reaching from the base of the
hill to the river When they came near the
fort the hoop was gwen, and the satanic
veil was continued for many minutes by the
enormous attacking party. The garrison re-
snonded to it with few well directed shots that
cut short the whoops of half q dozen braves and
retired them permanently 70 the happy hunting
grounds.
The garrison, it will be remembered, had bcen
reduced TO about n dozen men, two OF the best
officers and more than two thirds OF the origi.
nal force were missing. The odds which this
devoted band had TO face were fearful. But tho
very sense OF desperate odds gave them the en-
eryy and courage of despair. Then, too their
families and all the held dear in this world were
there 10 be saved by them or to perish with
them.
Early in the day Girty approached the fort
with n flag OF truce in his hand and demanded
its surrender in the name OF the King OF Eng
land Colonel Shepherd, who was in command
promptly told him that he would never surrcn
der 10 him. and that nc could only get posses
sion the fort when there no longer remained
nm American to defend it. Girty disappeared
und in ten minutes the Indians opened fire OF
the fort They kept up n r,ttling fire for sis
hours. but did little or no damage, while ever,
shot fired by the garrison had some effect. AT
ter time some OF the Indians became impa